Argentina exits WHO
The South American country's departure from the global health agency is attributed to significant differences, as stated by the government. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Argentina has declared its intention to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), citing significant policy disagreements, particularly in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. This decision echoes a similar move made by former US President Donald Trump last month.
In a statement released on X, the office of President Javier Milei stated that the WHO, established to manage responses to global health emergencies, had “failed its biggest test” during the coronavirus crisis.
The statement further claimed that extended quarantines triggered “one of the greatest economic catastrophes in world history.” It argued that the months-long lockdowns endorsed by the WHO and implemented by the previous Argentine government resulted in severe economic disruption and led to 130,000 deaths.
Manuel Adorni, a spokesperson for Milei, informed reporters that Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein had been tasked with beginning the withdrawal process.
“We Argentinians will not allow an international organization to intervene in our sovereignty, much less in our health,” Adorni asserted.
The spokesperson also noted that Argentina does not receive funding from the WHO, so this withdrawal will not impact the country’s healthcare services.
According to the newspaper El Pais, this decision reflects Milei’s long-standing opposition to lockdown measures. He was vocally against the isolation strategies implemented by then-President Alberto Fernandez in 2020, calling the lockdown “a crime against humanity” that infringed on personal freedoms.
Trump had similarly accused the WHO of mishandling the pandemic, asserting that it had placed “unfairly burdensome” financial requirements on the US.
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to begin the process of leaving the organization, declaring that the US would exit within 12 months.
This marked the second attempt by Trump to withdraw the US from the WHO. In 2020, he announced steps to exit over allegations of the organization's complicity in misleading the public about the origins of Covid-19. His successor, Joe Biden, reversed this decision on his first day in office.
In response to the US's earlier withdrawal plans, the WHO expressed “regret” and highlighted its vital role in global health and safety.
Historically, the US has been one of the WHO’s largest contributors, with a contribution of nearly $950 million in 2024, accounting for 15% of the agency's total budget.
The self-described anarcho-capitalist Milei was also the first foreign leader to visit Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate following Trump’s victory in the 2024 election.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
In a statement released on X, the office of President Javier Milei stated that the WHO, established to manage responses to global health emergencies, had “failed its biggest test” during the coronavirus crisis.
The statement further claimed that extended quarantines triggered “one of the greatest economic catastrophes in world history.” It argued that the months-long lockdowns endorsed by the WHO and implemented by the previous Argentine government resulted in severe economic disruption and led to 130,000 deaths.
Manuel Adorni, a spokesperson for Milei, informed reporters that Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein had been tasked with beginning the withdrawal process.
“We Argentinians will not allow an international organization to intervene in our sovereignty, much less in our health,” Adorni asserted.
The spokesperson also noted that Argentina does not receive funding from the WHO, so this withdrawal will not impact the country’s healthcare services.
According to the newspaper El Pais, this decision reflects Milei’s long-standing opposition to lockdown measures. He was vocally against the isolation strategies implemented by then-President Alberto Fernandez in 2020, calling the lockdown “a crime against humanity” that infringed on personal freedoms.
Trump had similarly accused the WHO of mishandling the pandemic, asserting that it had placed “unfairly burdensome” financial requirements on the US.
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to begin the process of leaving the organization, declaring that the US would exit within 12 months.
This marked the second attempt by Trump to withdraw the US from the WHO. In 2020, he announced steps to exit over allegations of the organization's complicity in misleading the public about the origins of Covid-19. His successor, Joe Biden, reversed this decision on his first day in office.
In response to the US's earlier withdrawal plans, the WHO expressed “regret” and highlighted its vital role in global health and safety.
Historically, the US has been one of the WHO’s largest contributors, with a contribution of nearly $950 million in 2024, accounting for 15% of the agency's total budget.
The self-described anarcho-capitalist Milei was also the first foreign leader to visit Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate following Trump’s victory in the 2024 election.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
